Vacancy Summary
Project Title: Formulation Innovation to Enhance Thermal Stability and Deployability of a Lassa Fever Vaccine
Vaccine deployment is severely constrained by the need for logistics including cold chain distribution. Infectious diseases remain a major threat to health and health security in the EU and globally and thus a proactive approach to the development of vaccines in preparedness for future infectious disease outbreaks is needed. One such threat is Lassa mammarenavirus, which remains a major epidemic threat in West Africa and a priority pathogen for global health security. Our partners have successfully developed a live recombinant virus vector Lassa vaccine to clinical testing. However, this vaccine currently requires ultra-cold chain storage with limited refrigerator stability. This creates challenges for broad deployment and storage, particularly for rapid use in an outbreak response and for routine preventive use in endemic settings in resource-limited regions.
In this Horizon-EU funded project, the consortium will advance this Lassa vaccine candidate toward a next-generation formulation optimized for epidemic deployment. Specifically, the partners will develop and eval-uate a thermostable formulation manufactured using scalable, production technologies and advance it through required preclinical testing and first in human clinical evaluation. Scientists in the Vaccine Immun-isation Technology and Access (VITAL) group in NIBRT will collaborate with the vaccine manufacturing part-ner to identify, develop and verify thermostabilising formulations and processes for this live virus vector vac-cine. We will focus on developing a liquid and a lyophilised vaccine form.
Position Available
PostDoctoral Researcher (Level 2A pt3)
Location
Dublin
Department
ResearchÂ
Hiring Manager
Professor Anne Moore
Contract Type
18 Month SPC
Application Date
October 2026
Interview Dates
November 2026
Start Date: January/February 2027
Salary & Benefits
Competitive salary and excellent suite of benefits including pension, private health insurance, income protection scheme, 25 days annual leave plus up to 3 additional company days off, generous training and career development supports, flexible working hours and work from home set up supported.
Role Purpose
We are seeking a motivated and innovative Postdoctoral Scientist to join the Lassa LIFT consortium at NIBRT. The primary focus for this researcher is to develop new analytical methods to assess virus potency during re-formulation and process optimization studies and they will support efforts to develop predictive stability modelling strategies. The scientist’s research will underlie the development of an analytical screening package for this live vector vaccine. Standard pharmaceutical assays to determine physicochemical properties of proteins and potentially new chromatographic techniques will be investigated to understand mechanisms of vaccine degradation, which will further support formulation and process development.
The successful candidate will have a background in the biopharmaceutical analysis, ideally of complex products such as virus vaccines, with an ability to work to a high standard. The scientist must have direct experience of working in biopharmaceutical formulation and stabilization, ideally in a commercial environment. They must have excellent communication motivation, planning, organising skills, practical, problem solving, record-keeping skills and the ability to work as part of a team.
Key Responsibilities
The key responsibilities of the job include:
- Conduct a specified programme of research under the supervision and direction of a Principal Inves-tigator/Project Leader to the highest standards of research integrity and health and safety.
- Assume a role in the design as well as the execution of this research.
- Maintain laboratory safety protocols, data integrity practices, and electronic notebook compliance.
- Carry out relevant administrative and management work associated with this research.
- Prepare and present relevant reports for external stakeholders.
- Provide day-to-day advice, support, mentoring, and assistance to early career researchers and re-search assistants in the research group.
- Collaborate with external partners to ensure efficient progress on the project.
- Develop experience in submitting grant proposals.
- Engage in the wider research and scholarly activities of the research group and NIBRT and contribute to its profile by participating in outreach and dissemination promotion activities.
- Write high-impact peer-reviewed manuscripts.
- Engage in appropriate training and development opportunities to develop own transferable skills, career and reputation.
- Carry out any additional duties as may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.
NIBRT Employee Responsibilities:
At NIBRT, our purpose is to support the Biopharma Industry in Ireland and beyond. As such, all colleagues act as NIBRT ambassadors may need to communicate, and build relationships, with our Biopharma clients and partners. This may require ad hoc attendance of industry events and conferences outside of routine hours.
At NIBRT all team members are expected to:
- Conduct themselves in line with the NIBRT values, maintaining at all times a high standard of professionalism.
- Enhance the value derived through collaboration by participating in and/or working at company events (inside and outside of standard working hours), working in at least one of NIBRT’s cross functional teams, providing feedback through survey or focus groups when asked to do so.
- Attend and/or complete mandatory training prescribed for all employees by NIBRT.
- Support colleagues and the institute by promoting the work and services of NIBRT through your media and networks.
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Essential Criteria
- A Ph.D. in biopharmaceutics or a PhD in virology or a strictly relevant discipline.
- Minimum of 2 years of postdoctoral or industry experience with a strong track record in biopharmaceutical formulation of live vaccines.
- A track record in publishing previous research and/or have experience of working in a commercial environment.
- Proven competence and experience of carrying out research in the relevant research speciality. Relevant technical experience in biopharmaceutical analysis of complex products and ideally, of virus vaccines, related to thermostability. This includes pharmaceutical experience to monitor and understand the impact of formulations and processes on virus vaccine potency and degradation, using industry standard guidelines.
- Demonstrable achievements in delivering results.
- Ability to interact with stakeholders from a range of disciplines.
- An ability to work independently to a tight schedule
- Excellent attention to detail.
- Proven record of initiative and motivation.
- Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
- Capability of working effectively within a team to achieve results.
- Excellent organisational and communication skills.
Desirable Criteria
- Virology experience
- Industry experience.
- Experience of working in EU-funded consortia.
- Experience of applying for funding.
- Leadership potential.
How To Apply?
To apply for this position please forward your CV and cover letter to careers@nibrt.ie
Please include your name and the position which you are applying for in the subject line. Please note that the successful candidate may be required to supply parchments of degrees/qualifications/work permits.
Informal enquiries can be made in confidence by contacting careers@nibrt.ie
NIBRT is an Equal Opportunities Employer.
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